David Goodman wrote: > I think it would be very useful to everyone if you could post the cost > figures you refer to here, giving the detail upon which it is based so > that other places could adapt it to their size and needs.
>> (I) First, determine the start-up cost of creating an institutional >> OA Archive (including any requisite departmental/disciplinary >> modularization and customisation). (Southampton can help provide >> you with the actual figures; they have the most extensive experience >> with this.)... Stevan Harnad For a recent study we undertook for JISC (www.keyperspectives.co.uk/OpenAccessArchive/E-prints_delivery_model.pdf) we obtained actual institutional archive set-up and running cost figures from four different institutions. And as we wrote in the report (which will be published very shortly) "asking how much it costs to set up an archive is like asking how long is a piece of string". There are so many variables and it depends too on how much of the infrastructure and staff costs can be absorbed by existing provision. However, for information, here are the actual costs from four different universities, converted into USD: MIT: Set-up costs: $2.4-2.5 million (most in the form of a grant) Annual running costs: $285,000 Queens Qspace: Set-up costs: $41,130 Annual running costs: $39,500 National University of Ireland, Maynooth: Set-up costs: $31,400 Annual running costs: $47,100 Nottingham University: Set-up costs: $6980 Annual running costs: $56,385 (includes provision for a triennial update of hardware and software) Despite the wild variations here, the salient point is that institutions need to budget for fairly high on-costs, and at least initially these are mostly for staff requirements to do with the actual soliciting and deposition of articles. As authors become familiar with the mechanics of this and deposit their articles themselves, this particular element of the on-cost may reduce considerably over time. Alma P Swan, BSc, PhD, MBA Director Key Perspectives Ltd Truro United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1392 879702